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Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Most of the criminals arrested for offences in the country are ex-detainees under the Emergency Ordinance (EO), says Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi."This is not perception but it is reality. From the aspect of arrests, most of the offenders were released from the repealed EO," he said when answering a supplementary question from Azmin Ali (PKR - Gombak) during question time in Parliament Wednesday.

Azmin had asked if a recent statement by the Government that the crime rate had gone up was used as the basis to consider for a new law to replace the repealed EO.

The Opposition MP also asked why the Government had said it was only public perception that crime was on the rise but changed its stand after a minister's house was broken into.

Ahmad Zahid said all crimes must be combatted, whether involving a minister or just an ordinary citizen.

"The EO has been abolished but if we were to replace it with new laws, we ask for all parties to agree to this," he said.

He added that criminals were "colour blind" when committing offences and did not differentiate between states ruled by Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

It was reported that the Government was mulling the introduction of new legislation to lower the crime rate.

The EO was abolished in 2011 following criticism that it was draconian and undemocratic.

On efforts to curb crime, Ahmad Zahid said police were in the midst of setting up a direct 911 hotline to Bukit Aman to enable the public to report crimes immediately.